


Shiny Happy People

by elliottgraywrites



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Coffee Shops, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay, Happy Nico, LGBTQ Character, Leo Valdez Is Not Dead, M/M, Meet-Cute, Non-Canon Relationship, Post-The Trials of Apollo, mlm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28695435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliottgraywrites/pseuds/elliottgraywrites
Summary: A coffee shop meet-cute with Leo and Nico.The title is named for the R.E.M. song which I imagine is playing in the shop, plus Nico has always given me very much R.E.M. fan energyLeo and Nico run into each other a few years after the war with Gaea and reconnect over coffee, comic books, and shared trauma.Small TOA spoilers, nothing major but if you're concerned I don't recommend reading.This was 100% inspired by a comment by @amr_slaymr on my TikTok so I hope you like it <33
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Leo Valdez
Comments: 1
Kudos: 39





	Shiny Happy People

**Author's Note:**

> Nico is 18 and Leo is 19, for future reference.

"That'll be four dollars and fifty cents,"

 _Four dollars for a small?_ Leo Valdez thinks but he hands the money to the barista and takes his steaming hot chocolate.

It's early December but the winter frost has begun to coat the ground outside the cozy bakery, making the glass foggy and the streets white. Leo sat in his usual armchair, it was purple and worn, made with the type of cushion that swallowed you up when you sat in it. The little store was mostly empty with the exception of a small group of students huddled over computers in the corner. Leo pulled out his book, humming along to the easy tune that played through the shop's speakers. He had just settled into a passage about the future of environmental engineering when he heard the door jangle open.

There was a boy there, he looked around eighteen with olive skin and sharp features. He was short, like Leo and he wore all black, with a large fleece-lined parka over his embroidered sweater. The boy grimaced as he pulled off his knit hat revealing a mop of raven hair that fell over his eyes. He ordered something from the cashier and walked to the side to wait for his drink. This is when he caught sight of Leo and almost jumped in surprise.

"Valdez? Is that you?"

Leo grinned, "di Angelo in the flesh!" He stood to embrace his old companion, sure they'd never been particularly close but the list of shared experiences between the two of them would have taken all day to write.

Nico's hug was stronger than Leo had expected, the son of Hades had truly filled out over the years.

"Black coffee!" The barista called and Nico let go to retrieve his drink. When he returned he followed Leo back to his table, pulling over his own armchair and sipping from his paper cup.

"I don't know how you drink that stuff," Leo said crinkling his nose, "coffee just makes me hyper."

Nico met his eyes, they were deep and piercing, Leo felt as if he was boring into his soul, "dunno I got used to it I guess."

Leo took a gulp of his own drink, allowing the sweet chocolatey taste to overwhelm his tastebuds and warm his stomach, "so what are you doing around here Nico? Last I heard you were still in New York."

Nico shrugged, "visiting some friends, thinking I might apply to school here."

Leo bit his lip, "what about-"

"Will?" Nico asked, "he'd back in South Carolina, we broke up and he decided to finish High school at home."

Leo felt a twinge in his stomach, a feeling he didn't recognize, "I'm sorry, Piper didn't tell me when she visited."

Nico shook his head, "it's okay, long time coming to be honest."

"Hey well if you move here we can both be bachelors out on the town," Leo joked.

Nico's face twitched a small smile playing on his lips, "yeah maybe." He rubbed his eyes tiredly and took another sip of coffee, "so what have you been up to Leo? I don't think I've seen you since-"

"Since the funeral," Leo finished. "Not much, I moved out here last summer with my sister and I started taking classes at MIT in the fall. It's been pretty much just school, homework, sleep for the last few months, but I don't mind, the classes are pretty interesting, and they have pretty good ADHD accommodations for Nyssa and me."

"Does Nyssa go there too?" Nico asked.

Leo grinned, "yeah and they don't even realize we aren't blood-related, I think they see two Hispanic kids and just assume we're the same person."

Nico let out a sharp laugh, his face contorting as his smile overwhelmed his face, his cheeks flushing with pink, something Leo might have found cute if he hadn't sworn off dating.

"What happened to the shop in Indiana?" Nico asked shrugging off his jacket so that Leo could see his protruding collar bones and the smooth skin of his neck. Something that weird to be attracted to, he knew _but what can you do._

"Nothing happened, Emmie and Joe are still there but I needed a change of scenery," Leo explained, "after everything I figured I deserved it, we all do," he gestured at Nico.

"The monsters don't find you out here?" Nico said glancing around.

"Hasn't been that bad," Leo replied. "Nyssa and I built some pretty heavy-duty protective devices around the apartment and I've got weapons and stuff if it ever gets bad."

"I've had to kill three Empusa and I only got here yesterday," Nico complained, "I don't know if I'll ever be able to live anywhere unprotected."

Leo flexed his muscles, well the lack thereof anyway, "don't worry death boy, the Valdezanator will protect you."

Nico rolled his eyes, "gee I feel so safe now," but the smile from earlier had returned and Leo could have sworn there was a spark dancing in his eyes. "Don't let me keep you from studying," Nico said gesturing to the book in front of him.

"No it's okay," Leo reassured, "I'd rather talk to you."

Nico looked concerned, "I don't want you to get behind because of me."

"To be honest, it's more for personal interest than for school," Leo admitted.

The worried look vanished from Nico's face, as it was replaced with an easy smirk, "that's nerd shit, Valdez."

"Look who's talking," Leo retorted, "I heard you got a Pokemon tattoo."

Nico laughed, "mythomagic actually, and I didn't know you were keeping tabs on me."

"I'm not!" Leo said defensively, "but Reyna talks about you all the time."

"I'm sure she does," Nico said not sounding at all like he believed him. Leo blew the air out of his cheeks in frustration before picking up his book and opening it to the page he'd been reading, breaking his gaze with Nico.

_"Environmental engineers apply scientific and engineering principles to evaluate if there are likely to be any adverse impacts to water quality, air quality, quality, and, agricultural capacity, ecology, and noise. If impacts are expected, they then develop mitigation measures to limit or prevent such impacts. An example of a mitigation measure would be the creation of in a nearby location to mitigate the filling in of wetlands necessary for a road development if it is not possible to reroute the road."_

Leo looked up from his page to glance at the boy in front of him. Nico was leaning back into his chair, he'd pulled out an old comic book with an older looking version of batman on the front and was flipping through it intently. On Nico's finger was his silver skull ring, it glinted unnaturally like it was infused with a sort of dark power. He tried to focus back on his book but the words blurred together as they often did and he found himself watching the son of Hades as he read.

Nico was handsome in a victorian way with high cheekbones and a long slender nose, he could dress like a total slob, not sleep for days and yet somehow still pull it off. Leo wished he had that type of confidence, or ability to just not care. Nico looked up now, catching him as he traced the line of Nico's jaw with his eyes.

"What is it?" Nico demanded.

"Nothing... I'm just checking out what you're reading," Leo said flustered.

Nico narrowed his eyes suspiciously but then he nodded and showed Leo the cover, "it's Batman, #235. I'm trying to read every issue since the first-ever publishing."

Leo reached out and snatched the comic from him, ignoring Nico's protests. He flipped through the graying images, the faded superhero seemed pretty pathetic but he didn't let Nico know that. " _And I'm the nerd?_ " He said with a disbelieving look across the table.

Nico shook his head and muttered something about comic books being a refined art form.

Leo stood up as an idea struck him, "why don't we go walking around town, I can show you the best spots for Mexican food."

"How many Mexican places do they have here?" Nico said pulling on his coat.

"Seven," Leo answered immediately. "Nyssa and I tried them all the first week we moved here."

"You're something else Valdez," Nico said grinning as they filed out of the coffee shop and into the cold winter air.

The sun was beginning to set in the winter afternoon and a cool breeze blew a flurry of snow into Leo's face. He brushed it off and pulled his red scarf tighter around his neck. As they walked along Leo glanced around to make sure no one was watching, but the street was empty. He ignited his left palm allowing the small flame to fester and spread its warmth throughout his body, the flakes falling on him melted on impact with his skin. Nico who was shivering leaned over to rub his hands over the fire.

"Wish I could do that," Nico said admiring the dancing orange blaze.

"Nah your powers are much cooler," Leo told him. "Plus Hephestus's gifts isn't all it's cracked up to be," he added thinking of his mother and the tragic accident all those years ago.

Nico sniffed, "yeah seems to be a common trend with godly gifts. It's hardly a reward if it comes with so much birthright sacrifice."

Leo thought of a picture Hazel had once shown him, of young Nico and a brunette girl who stood a foot higher than him. "Your older sister," he said softly, "what was she like?"

Nico smiled wistfully, "she was the best person I've ever known, she was kind and honest and she took care of me for half a century without a single complaint. But she knew what she wanted, didn't want to be tied down by her little brother and I resented her for it, called her selfish and-" Nico's voice had gone horse and sounded ready to break.

Leo reached over to give his friend's shoulder a squeeze, his fingers brushing over Nico's warm skin and making his pulse quicken. "I'm so sorry Nico," he said quietly, "I didn't mean to bring up anything difficult."

"No it's okay," Nico said quickly, "you were just being nice."

"No really," Leo repeated, "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Nico argued, "it's not a big deal."

"It's my bad!" Leo said frustratedly, heat rising in his cheeks.

"I said it's okay!" Nico said almost angrily, he was stepping closer to get in Leo's face, all confrontational.

"Take the freaking apology di Angelo," Leo yelled exasperated, Nico was only inches away, his face set with stubborn resolve.

"You have nothing to apologize for!" Nico shouted back and Leo could feel Nico's hot breath on his cheek.

"Gods you're annoying," Leo said disdainfully, his heart was racing and he wasn't even sure why. He could see the indent of Nico's cupids bow and the stray beauty mark on his nose. Nico's eyes bore into his own, the intensity of his gaze was like nothing Leo had ever felt. His entire body felt about to overheat but Leo couldn't blame the fire anymore as it had blown out a few minutes ago.

"I could say the same about you," Nico whispered, the words almost getting lost in the roar of the frosty wind.

And then they were kissing, and Nico's mouth was pressed upon his, his tongue dancing in and out of his mouth and all Leo could do was pull him in closer. His body was on fire and he could feel every touch of Nico's fingertips, in his hair, on his face, on his back, it was pure ecstasy. He tasted like coffee and something sweet, an addictive flavor that Leo wanted to enjoy forever. It would have taken a team of high-tech bronze dragons to pry him off the Son of Hades, and even then it would have been a difficult task. All that mattered was him.

When they finally broke apart they were both breathless. Nico's hair was a mess and his lips were pink and swollen. Snowflakes dotted his lashes and his dark eyes sparkled in amusement.

"Wow-" Leo said after a moment, feeling his heartbeat begin to slow as he kept his eyes on the boy in front of him.

Nico let out a laugh, he slung an arm over Leo's shoulders, "come on Valdez, you're the tour guide."


End file.
